The Packer softball team had their ups and downs as they settled for a split with Faribault in a doubleheader at Todd Park Thursday.

The Packers came back from a 4-1 deficit to win the opener 6-4, but they lost the nightcap 5-4.

Austin (6-10 overall, 5-8 Big Nine) had the tying run on first base of the bottom of the seventh in the nightcap but Erin Dankert struck out and Taylor Hackensmith lined out to second base to end the game.

Austin scored four runs in the last two innings to get back in the game.

“We had a little bit of a losing streak, so getting a win in that first game was big for us,” Austin head coach Tina Strauss said. “In the second game, I was happy that we came back and we really did a good job of running the bases and rallying.”

Abbey Ball pitched both games and she allowed six earned runs in 13 innings of work, while striking out eight.

The nightcap took a turn for the worse when Austin committed four errors in the top of fifth and the Falcons (6-8 overall, 5-5 Big Nine) scored three runs to go up 4-0.

“One inning can really change a game,” Strauss said. “Unfortunately some teams have bad innings and tonight that hurt us. You take away an inning like that and we’re on top, but that’s the name of the game. You’ve got to play seven innings.”

Faribault 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 — 4 4 3

Austin 0 0 1 3 1 1 X — 6 7 3

Austin pitching: Abbey Ball (W), 7 IP, 4 H, 4 BB, 4 ER, 5 K

Austin hitting: Ball, 3-for-3, RBI, R; Liz Gerhart, 2-for-3, RBI, R; Taylor Hackensmith, 0-for-3, R; Abby Bickler, 1-for-3, R; Laura Siegfried, 1-for-3

Faribault 0 0 1 0 3 1 0 — 5 7 3

Austin 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 — 4 5 5

Austin pitching: Ball (L), 6 IP, 7 H, 1 BB, 5 R, 2 ER, 3 K; Marie Clennon, 1 IP, 0 R

Austin hitting: Katelyn Joseph, 1-for-3; Ball, 1-for-3, R; Sydney Murphy, 1-for-3; Danielle Tschann, 1-for-3, double, R; Bickler, 1-for-3, R; Hackensmith, 0-for-2, RBI, R, SB